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What to Expect at a Massage Therapy Session

Making the decision to have a massage is a good one, even if you are not suffering from any type of pain. Massage therapy can help many types of stress related discomfort away. If it is your first time having a massage then first the massage therapist will begin with a consultation and at this time you will discuss your medical history as well as your lifestyle and the occupation you are in and you will also reveal any and all of the symptoms that brought you to his or her office, including the pain you suffer. The average massage session can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes and in some cases as much as 90 minutes. Some places charge patients according to the time it takes for the session such as whether it is 30 minutes or one hour while other places have other ways of billing patients.

The massage therapist will leave the patient alone in the room to undress. Many patients choose to leave their underwear on but that is up to you. The patient is then instructed to lie face down on a massage table that is padded and comfortable and he or she is then covers themselves with a sheet.

The massage therapist will then knock before entering and will come into the room and re-adjust the pillows and or face rest to ensure that the patient is completely comfortable as well as positioned in a proper fashion. If the patient finds the temperature in the room too cold or too hot he or she should let the massage therapist know.

To begin the massage the therapist makes use of a light massage lotion or massage oil applied to the skin gently. If the person is having a full body massage which is very common then the therapist usually begins at the individual's back and then works his or her way down the legs. The patient is then instructed to turn over and face upward and the massage then continues on the neck, arms, legs and abdominal area.

Your body will remain under the sheet at all times during the massage for discretion's sake and only the area of the body that is being massaged at any given time will be exposed. Once the massage is over the therapist will exit the room so the patient can get dressed. It is smart not too sit up too abruptly after having a massage, especially if it is your very first one or one of your first. If you jump up too swiftly you might find yourself dizzy or lightheaded.

People who are contemplating massage therapy often wonder if it will cause them any pain or discomfort. In a general sense massage therapy should not cause any amount of pain. On occasional there might be some mild aching in areas where there is a built up of muscle tension. These are the areas where the massage therapist will have to apply pressure that is slightly more intense than in areas where the muscles are not knotted nearly as much. If the pressure being exerted on your muscles is too much for you to take then by all means let the massage therapist know.